Judging Stirrup Length

[Just.Jump]

I don;t want to jinx myself into not having a weekend lesson (yet again :mad: ), this is out of curiousity: how on earth am I supposed to adjust my stirrups to the right length beforehand? I know how to with western, obviously, but I'm not sure as to how to work the good old arm length trick on an english saddle

[Em 1]

I'm not sure as to how to work the good old arm length trick on an english saddle

Put your fingertips on the stirrup bar on the saddle and lift the stirrup so the bottom of the iron rests in your armpit. You may need to shorten the leather another hole - I usually do!

Hope this helps :)

[bexj]

I always do knuckle to armpit :D

[Loopslou]

I do the inside of my wrist to armpit!

[Tangle]

I do tip of fingers to shoulder, but I've got long legs and ride dressage.

There is no "right" answer - it's just a case of experimenting to find what the right length for you is. Oh, and be prepared for the fact that it'll will be different on different shape horses - narrow horses I need to go down a hole, fatties up one ;)

[Est]

If you measure with your finger tips on the safety bar, the top of the stirrup iron should reach into your armpit. If you measure with a clenched fist on the safety bar, the bottom of the stirrup iron should reach into your armpit. Same length in the end!
It takes a while to get the hang of altering the stirrups when you're on but it's worth learning. Then, the bottom of the stirrup iron would hang about a centimetre above your ankle bone.
All of those are for basic flatwork though - if you jump you would want to measure as above, then go up another two holes or so. And as you sit deeper in the saddle, you might eventually drop the leathers a hole or two for flatwork.
Now I'm curious: how do you measure on a Western saddle? Is it much different? :)

[horseyrose]

I do fingertips to armpit :D I often adjust them again once mounted though, depending on how they feel, the horse etc.

[DITZ]

once mounted you can check them before you put your feet in the stirrups, they should bang against your ankle - ish.

[Pickles]

Finger tips on stirrup bars, stirrup on armpit.

Also use the rule taught to me when I was ickle, that once mounted you should raise you toes to put them into the stirrups, but you shouldn't have to lift your heels.

I'd be interested to know if there is a different rule with a western saddle?

[Just.Jump]

Thanks very much everyone :)

In western, we put our fingertips right on the bottom edge of the swell where it meets to jockey, and the bottom of the stirrup should generally reach an inch or two away from the corner of your armpit.

http://www.equusite.com/articles/basics/images/basicsWesternSaddle.jpg

[Kalypso]

hehehe...I'm so little that pretty much I put the stirrups on the top hole, no matter which discipline I'm riding ;) :D